It’s that time of year again…where our thoughts and palates are craving the great tastes of summer. July is one of our favorite times of the year to enjoy an ice-cold aperitif or digestivo of Russo Limoncello. Large juicy lemons, some the size of some grapefruits are used to produce the Russo family’s traditional limoncello recipe. The terroir character of the Sorrento and Amalfi coast create the perfect environment for growing the giant sized Verdelli lemons. Its a worthwhile challenge to handpick these special lemons; climbing the many steps of the mountainside provides spectacular views of the coastline.

Once the lemons are carefully chosen, the zest of the lemons are peeled by hand to preserve the special fragrance imparted by the fruit and oil on the skins. The Russo family believes in producing an all natural product with no artificial flavors, this is the real deal producing a 32% alcohol by volume. The family has been producing hand carafted liquors and distilled spirits since 1936. You can learn more (in Italian) by watching this video showcasing the Estate and production process.

Beyond an aperitif, many of our restaurateurs enjoy cooking with Limoncello. Our friends at L’Orccio have provided one of their favorite shrimp dishes. It’s super easy to try at home.

Brown shallots in the butter add the shrimp and sauté adding the shrimp white wine and the Limoncello let thicken Set up the lettuce arrange the shrimp and pour the remaining sauce over the shrimp/lettuce and serve.

If a dessert is more pleasurable to you, check out this recipe for Russo Limoncello Cake, it’s a perfect summer dessert.